Millets and Sorghum


Book Description

Millets and sorghum are extremely important crops in many developing nations and because of the ability of many of them to thrive in low-moisture situations they represent some exciting opportunities for further development to address the continuing and increasing impact of global temperature increase on the sustainability of the world’s food crops. The main focus of this thorough new book is the potential for crop improvement through new and traditional methods, with the book’s main chapters covering the following crops: sorghum, pearl millet, finger millet, foxtail milet, proso millet, little millet, barnyard millet, kodo millet, tef and fonio. Further chapters cover pests and diseases, nutritional and industrial importance, novel tools for improvement, and seed systems in millets. Millets and Sorghum provides full and comprehensive coverage of these crucially important crops, their biology, world status and potential for improvement, and is an essential purchase for crop and plant scientists, and food scientists and technologists throughout the developed and developing world. All libraries in universities and research establishment where biological and agricultural sciences are studied and taught should have copies of this important book on their shelves.







Genetic Enhancement of Rabi Sorghum


Book Description

Genetic Enhancement of Rabi Sorghum – Adapting the Indian Durras presents both the historical background and the recent research done in breeding this important world crop for more global production. Its chapters cover topics in origin and taxonomy, morphology and breeding behavior, genetics, and cytogenetics, also looking at production, nutrition, and alternate uses. The durra race is Ethiopian in origin and its introgression with wild forms permitted adaptation to drier conditions. These have migrated and adapted to the currently known crop that is cultivated in the winter season and commonly called rabi sorghums. Grown under receding soil moisture conditions, rabi sorghums have tolerance to abiotic stresses apart from biotic stresses, unlike the rainy sorghums that are grown widely in the world. However, they must be more resilient to rapid changes in climate, for example. The variability from winter sorghums is being introgressed into rainy sorghums. With the yield plateaus reached and sorghum gaining importance as a food crop, this book will be of importance to those studying durras and their breeding. - Presents both the historical background and most recent research done in breeding rabi sorghum for more global production - Provides information on the adaptation of the crop and the ways it has migrated to the currently known crop, which is cultivated in winter season and commonly called as rabi sorghum - Explores strategies for resilience as the crop must be prepared to withstand rapid and varying changes in climate




Sorghum and Millets


Book Description

Sorghum and Millets: Chemistry, Technology and Nutritional Attributes, Second Edition, is a new, fully revised edition of this widely read book published by AACC International. With an internationally recognized editorial team, this new edition covers, in detail, the history, breeding, production, grain chemistry, nutritional quality and handling of sorghum and millets. Chapters focus on biotechnology, grain structure and chemistry, nutritional properties, traditional and modern usage in foods and beverages, and industrial and non-food applications. The book will be of interest to academics researching all aspects of sorghum and millets, from breeding to usage. In addition, it is essential reading for those in the food industry who are tasked with the development of new products using the grains. - Updated version of the go-to title in sorghum and millets with coverage of developments from the last two decades of research - Brings together leading experts from across the field via a world leading editorial team - Published in partnership with the AACCI - advancing the science and technology of cereals and grains




Genetics, Genomics and Breeding of Sorghum


Book Description

Sorghum is one of the hardiest crop plants in modern agriculture and also one of the most versatile. Its seeds provide calorie for food and feed, stalks for building and industrial materials and its juice for syrup. This book provides an in-depth review of the cutting-edge knowledge in sorghum genetics and its applications in sorghum breeding. Each




Securing the Harvest


Book Description

Improved food security, led by increased productivity among Africa's many small-scale farmers, has been the aim of significant national and international effort in recent decades. It has proved to be one of the most critical challenges facing humankind. This book grew out of a two-year exploration conducted by the food security theme of The Rockefeller Foundation focusing on the potential for crop genetic improvement to contribute to food security among rural populations in Africa. It provides a critical assessment of the ways in which recent breakthroughs in biotechnology, participatory plant breeding, and seed systems can be broadly employed in developing and delivering more productive crop varieties in Africa's diverse agricultural environments. It also presents an analysis of current plant breeding and biotechnology strategies for the key crops in Africa including: maize, sorghum, cowpea, rice, and cassava. The book will appeal to plant breeders, biotechnologists, and seed distributors as well as policy-makers in the area of agricultural development.




Breeding Sorghum for Diverse End Uses


Book Description

Breeding Sorghum for Diverse End Uses is a comprehensive overview of all significant global efforts for the genetic improvement of sorghum, a major crop of many semi-arid nations that is suitable for a huge range of uses, from human food, to biofuels. Split into two main sections, the book initially reviews the genetic suitability of sorghum for breeding, also providing the history of the genetic improvement of the grain. Finally, other sections look at specific breeding programs that could be improved in a number of areas, including human food, animal feed and industrial usage. Readers in academics, research, plant genetics and sorghum development will find this resource of great value. In addition, it is essential reading for engineers who utilize sorghum for food, feed and industrial materials in industry. - Provides information on key advances in the genetic makeup of sorghum - Allows plant breeders to apply this research to effectively breed new strains of sorghum that are dependent on final usage goals - Includes the latest findings in each section to orient researchers to plans for future genetic enhancement




Sorghum Molecular Breeding


Book Description

This book provides an up-to-date overview of international research work on sorghum. Its comprehensive coverage of our current understanding of transgenic development in sorghum and the strategies that are being applied in molecular breeding make this book unique. Important areas such as genetic diversity, QTL mapping, heterosis prediction, genomic and bioinformatics resources, post-genome sequencing developments, molecular markers development using bioinformatics tools, genetic transformation and transgenic research are also addressed. The availability of the genome sequence along with other recent developments in sequencing and genotyping technologies has resulted in considerable advances in the area of sorghum genomics. These in turn have led to the generation of a large number of DNA-based markers and resulted in the identification and fine mapping of QTL associated with grain yield, its component traits, biotic and abiotic stress tolerance as well as grain quality traits in sorghum. Though a large volume of information has accumulated over the years, especially following the sequencing of the sorghum genome, until now it was not available in a single reference resource. This book fills that gap by documenting advances in the genomics and transgenic research in sorghum and presenting critical reviews and future prospects. “Sorghum Molecular Breeding” is an essential guide for students, researchers and managers who are involved in the area of molecular breeding and transgenic research in sorghum and plant biologists in general.




Molecular Breeding in Wheat, Maize and Sorghum


Book Description

The global population is projected to reach almost 10 billion by 2050, and food and feed production will need to increase by 70%. Wheat, maize and sorghum are three key cereals which provide nutrition for the majority of the world's population. Their production is affected by various abiotic stresses which cause significant yield losses. The effects of climate change also increase the frequency and severity of such abiotic stresses. Molecular breeding technologies offer real hope for improving crop yields. Although significant progress has been made over the last few years, there is still a need to bridge the large gap between yields in the most favorable and most stressful conditions.